A Bloody Birthday
by LilyMM
Summary: Set fifty years in the future, Caroline has reunited with Klaus in New Orleans. An old friend arrives in town for a celebration. Meanwhile a group of witches want to be allowed to return to the city and will go to great extremes to achieve it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. So this will not follow any storyline set following that timeframe. A giant thank you to CKhybrid for all your help on grammar and editing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as created by L.J. Smith and The CW**

Approximately five months have passed since the Mikaelson gala. Magdalene has seen less of Klaus since then and imagines it has something to do with the blonde who is by his side more often than not. Prior to the party, the witch felt she had been doing well in gaining his trust. She had even thought he fancied her. Magdalene was no longer certain.

She was driving out of the city, to meet with the local witches there, to review current events. Magdalene was hoping to move onto the next phase of their plan.

After nearly an hour on the road, she pulls into the old farmhouse. When getting out of the car she takes a deep steadying breath before entering the building. Magdalene immediately sees that everyone has gathered and jumps right into the reason they are all there.

"I assume everyone has been brought up to date. We have recently lost some momentum, but I don't see why that has to stop things."

An older woman sipping a hot cup of tea looks over, "Honey, all of us here support you, and the cause. We know that we need to get the vampires to support the family returning. What do you need from us?"

Magdalene smiles, "Simple. We need leverage."

The older witch laughs, "And what is it that you had in mind, my dear?"

"I've been watching Klaus Mikaelson for months now. And the one thing he seems to care about, even more than his precious family, is that pretty blonde vampire he keeps with him."

"And how do you expect us to get to her? You know our magic is not as strong as it used to be." The other witch chides, "And he has Circe working with him. What is to stop her from interfering?"

"We are going to have to outsmart Circe and not give her any clues as to what we have planned. We are witches, keeping secrets is something we are good at." She lays down an old and dusty grimoire on the table, "we will curse the blonde and hold the cure as ransom."

—-

It was early October. Caroline woke up from her nap listening to the sounds of the street and could hear people heading to the bars already. It was like every day was a holiday in New Orleans. She stretched her arms out over her head and surveyed her surroundings. She was in his room, or rather, she supposed it was their room, as she had been staying there for the past five months. With dark grey sheets on the bed and dark walls, the room was covered in Old Master paintings. Caroline grinned and said aloud, "If we could just lighten it up a little. Maybe bring in some cool blue tones, and some art from this century..."

"Are you redecorating already, love?" Klaus walks into the bedroom and heads toward her, placing a soft kiss on her lips before handing her a tumbler filled with blood. "I thought you'd be awake hours ago."

She takes the glass and drinks the entire thing, "What can I say, a girl needs her beauty rest." She pulls the sheets back and walks to the washroom. She immediately walks over to the tub and starts filling it with warm water. "What are we planning this evening? Anything I should know about?"

He follows her into the washroom. "Nothing in particular, although I'd prefer we just stay here and not leave the room. I'm sure we could find something to occupy our time." While speaking he starts to pull down the strap of her slip. He then places a trail of kisses over the newly exposed skin.

She laughs, grabbing the bottom of the henley he is wearing and pulls it over his head. "We haven't left this room for months as it is. People are going to believe you have left the city."

He dips his head back to her neck and begins kissing along her collarbone. His teeth playfully tug at the charm necklace she always wears. "I don't care what everyone thinks."

She places her pointer finger under his chin and leads his face to look at hers, "Yes, you do. Now take me out. Show me off." She smiles, "I want to dance tonight!"

His face breaks out into a smile, "As you wish." His voice is husky, "But first you need to wash up." He pulls off her slip and tosses it to the floor.

She smiles and begins to unbutton his pants. "Then you should join me."

He looks at her hungrily, "As the lady commands." Klaus lifts Caroline in his arms and climbs into the water with her.

—-

A couple of hours later, Caroline and Klaus find themselves entering a club. It was one The Original knew well and frequented often. The place was alive with music and was packed with both humans and vampires.

Klaus nods to the bartender and heads toward an empty table in the back.

Caroline was dressed to the nines; black pants that she wore like a second skin and a dark blue backless top paired with black heels. Klaus was sure he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of her or trust anyone else to be near her. She headed toward the bar and brought back an empty glass with a bottle of scotch for him and a Sazerac for herself.

Just as she begins filling his glass, Rebekah joins them at the table, "It appears you are capable of leaving your bedroom after all." She sits down next to Klaus, forcing him to move over, and gives Caroline a fake smile.

Caroline takes a deep breath and puts on a smile, "Rebekah, I am making it my mission to become friends with you." She motions to the bartender and, moments later, another drink appears at the table. "Tonight we will have no arguments, tonight is supposed to be fun." She holds up her glass and smiles broadly at her. "Will you join me?"

Rebekah laughs and grabs her drink. She clinks her glass against Caroline's. "Why the hell not? I don't have anything better planned for the evening."

Klaus quietly laughs to himself as he watches Caroline try to make friends with Rebekah. Things would certainly become less hostile if they got along. He has to wonder if the girls teaming up might be more trouble than it's worth though.

Both girls make quick work of their drinks and Caroline stands, holding her hand out to Rebekah. "I came here to dance. Will you join me?"

Both girls rush to the floor; pushing their way into the center of the crowd. Klaus watches them from his seat as he pours himself another glass and orders more drinks.

Klaus calls some vampires over to join him at the table. Ever since Caroline had decided to stay in town a few months ago, The Hybrid had been neglecting city matters. It was time for him to play catch up.

His subordinates fill him in and, once they are done, Klaus realizes Caroline and his sister have been gone for awhile. He sends the other vampires away and goes in search of the two blondes.

He finds Caroline dancing with a young male vampire he recognizes from the Quarter. Klaus clenches his jaw when he sees the boy's hands are on Caroline's hips. He flashes over to them and roughly pushes the boy to the ground, creating a gap on the dance floor. The younger vampire jumps up ready for a fight, but when he recognizes Klaus, instantly backs off and looks to the floor. Klaus leans over him "I'd be more conscious of who you are choosing to partner with next time. Unless, of course, you aren't fond of having a liver."

Caroline pulls Klaus away from the boy and back towards her. "Leave him alone, he wasn't doing anything wrong. Just dancing." She places her hands on Klaus' hips and pulls him closer to her. "Dance with me."

Klaus sighs. "Love, the quicker this city learns you are off limits the better." He leans in and pulls her tightly towards him. "You don't forget that either."

The comment makes her pause and stop dancing. "I was only dancing with the guy. I wasn't going to let it get out of hand. And while we are discussing it, don't forget that I don't belong to you, like an object. I choose to be with you and you need to trust me."

Klaus watches her intensly while she speaks and quietly answers, "Trust is something that has to be earned, love."

Without hesitating she responds, "And what have I done to make you not trust me?"

She watches his green eyes soften slightly, "Nothing love."

As his demeanor changes Caroline smiles softly at his comment. Then sighs and asks, "Can we just go home now? I'm suddenly tired."

He nods and leans over to her ear. "Of course." The dance music that has been going for hours ends abruptly as a small group of musicians begin to play. The music is slower, and without hesitation Klaus pulls her toward him and begins dancing with her. "But first, I promised you a dance, and this way I can keep you in my arms."

Caroline rolls her eyes and smiles at the same time, enjoying the feel of his embrace.

—

Magdalene made it her job to keep an eye on Caroline and Klaus at all times. She needed to know what their habits were and find out if there was any trouble in paradise.

She had been there, at the club, and watched as jealousy took over Klaus.

Magdalene watched the young male vampire Klaus confronted slink away and followed him out of the building.

A short conversation later, she convinced the boy to come home with her. Poor baby vampire. He didn't realize what he was getting himself into. She shut the door to her rooms and locked it behind her.

The young vampire was suddenly taken to his knees with an incredible migraine. Magdalene continued to hold the spell on him. "This isn't how I suppose you thought tonight would turn out." She sighed, "I am sorry, but I think you are going to be very useful to me."

She continued the spell throughout the night, and the vampire begged her to end his suffering.

Magdalene gave him a glass of water, laced with vervain, and asked the boy, "What is your job?"

"I don't…" his words were slurring and he was panting, "know what you want… just tell me what..." he stopped mid-sentence as she continued working on his mind.

The witch stopped every twenty minutes or so and repeated her question.

Finally, after six hours of torture had passed, she asked. "What is your job?"

This time, he glanced up at her from the floor, covered in sweat. "I am to seduce Caroline Forbes and force Klaus Mikaelson into a jealous rage."

"And?"

"And find a way to take a personal object from her."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. So this will not follow any storyline set following that timeframe. A giant thank you to CKhybrid for all your help on grammar and editing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as created by L.J. Smith and The CW**

A couple of days later, there is a knock on the door of the Mikaelson compound and Caroline is informed that someone is asking for her. Klaus happens to be out on some task in the Quarter, so Caroline agrees to meet whoever the guest is in the family sitting room. She enters to greet the guest and is happily surprised to find her best friend browsing over the bookshelf.

She squeals with delight and rushes toward him. Caroline jumps and Stefan catches her in a giant hug, "What are you doing here? When did you get in? How did you know where to find me?!"

"Hey Caroline," he smiles and releases her.

She grabs his hand and invites him to sit, "It's been ages! Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here? I would have arranged something for you!"

"Arranged something? Like what, a parade?"

She laughs, "I don't know. But at least I would have had balloons or something."

"It's okay, no balloons needed," Stefan responds with a grin.

"Not that I am not happy to see you, but what brings you here?" she pauses, "Oh no, is someone in trouble… are you ok? Elena?"

He smiles reassuringly, "No, no, everyone is just fine," he settles down on the sofa. "Is it wrong that I want to surprise one of my best friends for her seventy first birthday?"

Caroline's face breaks into a giant smile, "You remembered!" She reaches over and squeezes him in another hug.

"Of course I did. I know how important these celebrations are to you."

Just then, Klaus enters the room and surveys the scene before him. "Well well, isn't this sweet? Hello Stefan."

Caroline pulls away from the hug as Stefan stands to greet Klaus. "Hello."

Stefan glances to Caroline with a look and then back at Klaus.

Caroline jumps in, "Stefan was telling me he just got into town." Then looks back toward him, "Where are you staying? Oh wait, you have to stay here!"

Stefan pauses and glances to Klaus, "No, it's ok Caroline. I found a place in the Quarter. I was planning on staying there. Besides, I am sure you have big plans and all."

"Plans?" questions Klaus.

"Yeah, Stefan is in town for my birthday," responds Caroline shyly.

Klaus nods and takes a seat nearby. "Ah, of course. Should I be expecting more of the rabble invading my home then?"

Stefan smirks, "No, I don't think they will be making it this year." He looks to Caroline, "Damon and Elena send their best. You know how they are. They would be here if they could."

Caroline nods, "Yeah… sure, of course they would."

Klaus observes the disappointment in her face and walks toward her. "Well then sweetheart, we will just have to plan something spectacular to make them reconsider missing out next year."

Caroline smiles faintly. "No, we don't have to do anything, really. Just a quiet night with my best friend and…" She paused, trying to think of a word that described what Klaus is to her. 'Boyfriend' was not an adequate description, "Just the three of us."

Klaus noticed Caroline stumbling over her words and frowned slightly. "Well then, don't let me keep you two from reminiscing. Why don't you go out." He nods to the hallway, "I have some other engagements to occupy me presently, but I will catch up."

Caroline nods and grins, "I'd love to show Stefan the club."

"Yes, go love. I will see you soon." He then leans over and places a soft kiss on her lips, "Just be careful."

Continuing with her smile she shrugs, "Aren't I always?"

"Caroline, you know what I mean." He turns to look toward Stefan, "I am assuming you will keep a careful watch on her until I get there?"

Stefan looks curiously, "Does she need to be watched?" Then noticing Klaus' intense glare says, "Of course I will."

Klaus nods and then excuses himself and exits the room.

With the weight of the room lifted, Caroline rushes to her friend again and loops her arm in his. "Give me some time to get ready? Meet me here in an hour and we can go out?"

"Of course," he looks at her carefully and then nods back toward the door Klaus just walked through. "Are you going to fill in all the blanks on what is going on here? You are with Klaus?"

Caroline nods, "Yes, I promise I will fill you in on all the details… or the important ones anyways. Meet me in an hour."

Stefan smiles and wraps her in a bear hug, "It's good to see you again Caroline."

—-

An hour later, Caroline and Stefan are walking arm in arm down the street. Caroline glances at the bouncer of the club and they are allowed to skip the line and enter, heading again to the same empty table in the back.

"Must be nice, playing Queen of the city." Stefan grins as they are given some drinks from the waitress.

"Very funny. I am hardly a Queen. But I can't deny that I enjoy the perks."

"Now, what about those blanks you were going to fill in?"

"Nothing much really. Klaus helped me figure out that problem I had with everyone around me dying." Caroline shrugs and takes a drink. "I chose to stay for awhile."

"You mean, that problem where you were tormented for the past twenty years?" he carefully studies her eyes, "You seemed to get over that pretty quickly, and then decided to move into his home?"

She takes a deep breath, "Maybe it is all moving fast. Maybe it was always meant to be. Do we have to get into this now? Yes, I am staying with him. Yes, I am still not completely over the whole thing, but we are together. He is happy… and I am happy," she smiles shyly.

Stefan squeezes her hand watching her carefully, "Caroline, you are my best friend, of course I want you to be happy. I am just concerned is all. We all know Klaus to be overly possessive about things." He finishes off his shot.

Caroline leans over and kisses his cheek, "I promise you I am happy, and this is what I want." Then putting on a giant smile to try to lighten the mood, "Now how about some dancing?"

Stefan practically flinches from the mention of the idea, "You know I don't dance."

"Keep drinking, and you will be soon," Caroline laughs and pours another round.

An hour later and just as she predicted, Stefan was on the floor with her. The enjoyable evening quickly passed and soon Stefan was spending his time with a pretty brunette he met and Caroline was dancing with a handful of locals.

One young vampire in particular was more pushy than others and kept finding his way to dance with Caroline. More than once she had to put his grabby hands back into place. Finally, she had enough when this time he pulled her toward him and ran his fingers along her throat and the charm necklace she wore. Just as Caroline was about to forcefully grab him by the neck and twist it, the young vampire was thrown against the wall and pinned in place by a hand at his neck. Klaus held him securely to the wall with a broken table leg aimed at his heart, "Well then, look who it is! I told you before you chose the wrong girl. And tonight it may have cost you more than expected."

The dancing had come to a sudden halt, although the music continued, the other supernatural and humans in the room watching intently. Caroline fully believed that Klaus was about to kill the boy and stepped in.

"Let him go," she placed her hand gently on Klaus' shoulder. "He isn't worth it. Let's just go."

Without taking his gaze off the young vampire, Klaus' eyes flashed yellow and he pushed the stake through his heart, not releasing the body until it turned grey.

Caroline watched with shock as the body fell to the ground, "Why did you do that?!"

Klaus turned to face her, "Time to go home Caroline."

Caroline glared at him angrily, "As if… there is no way!" Furious, she went back to the booth, grabbed her things and headed toward the door. "I am not one of your minions you can command to do what you want."

Klaus caught up with her a moment later outside and held her firmly in place by her wrist, "Caroline. This is not up for debate; the boy deserved it."

"You have got to be kidding me!" she rolled her eyes at him and tried unsuccessfully to twist her wrist out of his grip. "Let me go right now. I was about to handle it my own way. You had no right to do what you just did!"

"I am protecting what is mine," he growled at her before he let go.

Her eyes blazed. She was upset and couldn't have this conversation with him right now. Free from his iron fist, she began walking away.

"Where are you going sweetheart?" he calls out.

Ignoring him, she continues to walk. Klaus is about to flash after her when, suddenly, Stefan is in front of him. "She is upset right now. I will go after her and make sure she is safe. If you value my advice, give her some space."

Klaus clenches his teeth at Stefan who continues to stand and block his way. He realizes he needs to calm down and deal with the mess he just caused in the club. He nods to Stefan and then slowly walks the other way, toward his home.

Stefan lets out a breath of relief and catches up with Caroline, who is continuing to walk through the Quarter mumbling to herself.

"Who does he think he is? I am not property! If he honestly believes for one second that I am ok with that type of behavior."

Stefan reaches out and tentatively puts a hand on her shoulder, "Caroline?"

She turns toward her friend and he sees the tears in her eyes as he takes her into a giant embrace, "Come on. I think you have had enough for one night."

Tearfully, Caroline nods and lets Stefan escort her to his hotel.

—-

Magdalene watched the proceedings from afar. Not at all saddened by the fact she had lost her spy in the process. The boy had done what she needed. Now with both Caroline and Klaus upset, their guard would be down and, they wouldn't see it coming.

Immediately after the body fell Magdalene approached it, appearing upset and distraught, taking the dead boy's hand in her own before some of Klaus' lackeys pulled her away. She silently exited the building but made sure to pocket the charm necklace the dead boy had pulled off of Caroline. She then made her way back to the country farmhouse. Arriving at her destination roughly an hour later.

Magdalene roused the witches with her arrival. "It is time. We need to prepare the curse." She placed Caroline's necklace on the table next to the grimoire.

—-

Caroline wakes the next morning momentarily forgetting the evenings events, but it quickly all comes back to her. She pulls the covers over her head and tries to ignore the daylight and go back to sleep.

Stefan is aware she is awake and sits on the edge of the bed, trying to tug the covers off her head. "Hey there. How are you feeling?"

"Like crap. Leave me alone. Please."

"Now what kind of friend would I be if I did that?" He pulls the covers away and holds out a glass of blood. "Come on, you can't sleep the entire day away."

"I'd like to try actually." She takes the glass and quickly empties its contents. "Am I correct in remembering all the awful events of last night?"

"If by awful you mean Klaus staking someone in the middle of the dance floor and declaring to the entire city that you are his property… then yes."

She lays back down and pulls the covers once more over her head. "That's what I thought."

Stefan laughs, "Come on. You will not wallow over a guy. Not while I am here. Besides, tomorrow is your birthday. We need to start celebrating."

"Really Stefan, all I want to do right now is hole up in this room, watch bad movies and eat tons of ice cream."

He laughs, "I'll do you one better." He pulls out a bottle of scotch that he had been saving for part of her birthday gift.

She sits up and grins as she holds out her empty glass. "I'm so happy you are here."

—-

Klaus never did sleep that night. Angered by how he left things with Caroline, and upset that he wasn't able to take her back home. He spent the night rampaging through the city. Now he was slumped against a leather sofa in his parlor, dried blood still in the corner of his lip, and two bodies drained on the floor as Rebekah enters.

"Lovely. So the rumors floating around the Quarter are true then. Not a good night for you was it?" She remarks as she steps over the body of a blonde.

"Rebekah, I do not wish to hear your opinion on anything at the moment."

Ignoring his comment, she continues. "If you stand any chance of getting Caroline back, maybe you should."

"I mean it little sister. I do not want to talk about this now."

"Fine. But don't wait too long. She isn't like Elijah or I, she may not accept your apology," with that she leaves the room.

Thinking to himself, Apology? What am I apologizing for? Looking out for her, protecting her? Then looking around the room and at the two bodies that he has left on the floor, Rebekah is right, Caroline will not forgive me easily... What is she doing to me? Since when do I seek forgiveness? He calls out and a compelled maid enters the room.

He soon adds a third body to the pile.

—-

Stefan and Caroline spend the entire day in the hotel; finishing off two bottles and watching a load of sappy movies in the process. The next morning, Caroline wakes with a horrible hunger. She slowly wanders from the second bedroom into the living room of Stefan's suite and finds a large breakfast spread displayed out in front of her: eggs, bacon, pancakes, beignets, french toast, croissants, fruit, yogurt, orange juice and champagne. Sitting at the table reading from a well-worn and ancient looking book is Rebekah.

"No, I did not cook any of this," she grins, "But happy birthday anyway."

Caroline looks at her confused as to why she is here but sits down in the chair next to her, not saying anything.

"I am not here to apologize for my brother. But I will say that Nik is not the smartest of my brothers, he is a man of action first and then reasoning. Whatever he did does not change my relationship with you. Besides, we were just becoming friends. I hate to have it spoiled by one of my brothers. We girls need to stick together after all."

Caroline smiles and Rebekah pours out two glasses of champagne, skipping the orange juice and hands one to Caroline.

"Please take this as a peace offering," Rebekah comments quietly. "I am sorry about what I started with the Molineux family. It was never my intention that it would go that far and as for more recent events, my brother is an idiot."

Caroline pauses and looks at her, seeing what appears to be genuine emotion in her eyes and quietly responds, "Thank you."

The girls clink glasses and start to nibble away at the pastries before them. Stefan comes in and joins them.

"Hello Rebekah, nice to see you are still adept at breaking into someone's room." He grabs the book she had been reading out of her hands, "Next time, please stay out of my personal journals." He sits down at the table and proceeds to make a plate of food for himself, "So ladies, what is the plan for today?"

Rebekah speaks up, "The plan is for Caroline and I to go shopping, spend an enormous amount of money and enjoy this city as one is meant to - partying the night away."

Caroline shakes her head, "I don't think I want to go out right now."

"Nonsense. It is the best thing for you. Show Nik that he doesn't hold sway over you. Go and enjoy yourself. Besides… he is buying."

Caroline smiles as she considers the proposal, "Fine, but we are not spending his money. I don't want to feel like he owns anything of this day."

Rebekah grins devilishly, "Agreed then… let's start with the spa."

Stefan watches the interaction between the two women, curious as to the change in Rebekah's behavior toward Caroline. "Well ladies, I think I will skip on the girls-only portion of the day and join up with you later."

—-

Stefan watches them both head out the door and onto their adventure. Once he is sure they have left, he also leaves the hotel but heads to the Mikaelson compound. He gains entry and is escorted up to the drawing room. He spots Klaus leaning against the balcony railing, appearing to look at nothing in particular. Stefan glances around the room, seeing now a total of five drained bodies on the floor.

"You ought to be more careful, don't you think? That many bodies may go noticed."

Klaus continues to ignore him and takes a sip from the glass he is holding.

Stefan continues, "Look this isn't my place, but I hope you are at least going to go talk to her." He waits to see if Klaus will comment, but continues when he is met with stone silence, "I haven't seen her this upset in a long time. You have to see it from her perspective."

Klaus turns around and throws the glass with full force across the room and watches it shatter against the wall. "Whatever I choose to do… is none of your concern."

"Caroline did nothing for you to question her feelings toward you. Why are you ready to give up on her so quickly?"

"Stefan, you are trying my patience. Do not suppose to know what I am feeling." He flashes up to Stefan standing only inches from his face holding his gaze forcefully.

Stefan holds his position and responds, "Tonight we are going out to celebrate her birthday. Don't come if you are only going to upset her more." Then turns to leave the room.

Klaus now alone in the room considers Stefan's words. The inner turmoil he has been experiencing since he has left the club is new, or long forgotten feeling. Slamming his fist down on the table nearby, he calls for a subordinate and orders him to clean up the room as he exits. If he is going to do this he better prepare.

**A/N: Please review, I'd love to have feedback. Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. So this will not follow any storyline set following that timeframe. A giant thank you to CKhybrid for all your help on grammar, editing and story flow. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as created by L.J. Smith and The CW**

Magdalene and the others have been working on the curse for two days, waiting for the moon to align and all the factors to be in place.

"Will this work?" the older woman asks.

"We don't have much of a choice. They will kill us when they learn what we have done. If you are not behind this one hundred percent it is best you leave now," Magdalene answers her.

"We are all with you."

The five women stand together outside the farmhouse in a circle with hands clasped. In the middle is Caroline's charm necklace. The women working together begin chanting and repeating the words from the old grimoire. As they do, the winds start to pick up and the torches around them blaze brighter. After about ten minutes everything is suddenly silenced, the light extinguished.

"It is done."

—

Caroline was actually surprised by how much fun she had spending the day with Rebekah. It had been a long time since she had a girl day; spa, shopping and eating. There are just some things that are more fun with company. She was even excited about continuing the evening and celebrating her birthday. She also realized that an added benefit from all the activity is that if she kept herself occupied enough it didn't allow her time to think about Klaus.

Changing into some of the clothes that they had just bought, she exited her room ready to enjoy the town. Her long blonde hair was set in loose curls, and she wore a silver sequined top, tight black pants and tall heeled leather boots. With a few last minute touches she was ready to join Rebekah and Stefan.

Stefan held out both his elbows as the group exited the hotel, "Ladies, are we ready to celebrate in honor of Ms Caroline Forbes birthday?"

Both women laughed and ran ahead to join him.

The three of them started walking down the street like they owned the world. They hit a couple clubs on the way to the final destination. Rebekah used all her influence and a good amount of compulsion so that they were practically being paid to drink and dance for the evening. The final spot they arrived at was no more than a hole-in-the-wall bar, but had killer live music. The place was packed with dancing and socializing. Rebekah made her way to the bartender returning moments later with a round of drinks and an entire bottle of liquor.

Holding out her glass she raised it in a toast, "To Caroline. 'We turn not older with years, but newer every day'*. Happy Birthday!" The three of them clinked glasses and knocked back their shots. Stefan set about pouring another round.

Throughout this process, Klaus was watching them from the back of the room. He had been trailing them all evening, not knowing when or how he should approach Caroline. He hated feeling nervous, an emotion he had not experienced over the past thousand years. It was something Caroline did to him, made him tune back into his human qualities. Quickly pushing away that thought, he walks silently up to the table not taking his eyes off of her.

Rebekah notices him first, "I didn't realize you were invited Nik."

"I did not know this was an invitation only event," he glares briefly at his sister.

Caroline feels like she has turned cold with his arrival, she stays silent as she watches Klaus and Rebekah interact.

"Caroline…" he turns his full attention to her, "Happy Birthday, love." And he places a small box next to her on the table.

She looks to the gift, doesn't respond, and doesn't know what to say. Her emotions are internally fighting between anger, frustration and just wanting to give in and go back to how it was. All she manages to say is a quiet, "Hey."

Stefan suddenly feels in the way, but doesn't want to leave Caroline until he knows she'll be okay alone with Klaus. He takes Rebekah by the elbow when Caroline smiles and nods in acknowledgment of his intentions. "Come on, let's dance." He says to the Original before telling Caroline, "We won't be long. I hate dancing after all." Before the two of them head to the dance floor.

Alone at the table, Caroline feels like they are standing in silence for hours. Then suddenly, all the emotions she had been holding back over the past two days return. She turns to look into Klaus' eyes, "I don't know if we have anything to say to each other, that is if your point of view hasn't changed since we last spoke."

"Caroline… please," he reaches out to place his hand on hers, but she pulls away.

"All you need to do right now is apologize. Can you do that?"

He takes a deep breath, apologizing is not something he was ever good at. In actuality he doesn't feel like he did anything wrong, if anything it showed the city that Caroline was off limits. "I am sorry that you are upset with me. That you don't see…"

She rolls her eyes, "Really! That is all you can manage?" She pauses and considers, "Look, I am having a good day.. not great, but passable. Can you at least let me have my birthday without us having to deal with this?" With that, she gets up to leave and join her friends.

As she is about to walk away he responds almost silently, "Caroline… I am sorry."

She stops with her back to him but at least she heard it, she turns. "Thank you," but then continues to the dance floor.

As she walked away she felt like something was off. A wave of discomfort came over her, but nothing she could pinpoint. Ignoring it, she joined Stefan and Rebekah dancing. She looked back only to see Klaus continuing to watch her.

The three of them spent the hour or so on the floor. Klaus never tried to join them, but also didn't leave. Roughly around one in the morning, Caroline wrapped her arm around her friend and leaned into him. "I think it is time for me to head back. Feel free to stay longer, but I've had enough of this birthday." Stefan nods and watches her head back to their table.

She returns to the table to grab her things and looking to Klaus says, "So you are still here? Well have a good night, I'm headed back to the hotel."

"Would you be willing to come home with me?" he pauses and extends his hand toward her. "Please Caroline."

Caroline turns to look at him, noticing a glimmer of emotion in his eyes. She wants to believe him, she knows that she wouldn't have been attracted to him if he had no humanity left. She nods in agreement and heads out the door with Klaus following behind her. As she is leaving she suddenly begins to feel tired, even lightheaded. She stumbles and catches herself on a table. Klaus is at her side in an instant, his hand on the small of her back, "Too much to drink?"

Caroline stood up and shook her head, "Yeah, that must be it. I think I should just get to bed maybe."

Klaus watches her cautiously and keeps his arm at her side, "I completely agree."

Stefan and Rebekah watch Klaus support Caroline as she stumbles to the exit. Both look to each other with Rebekah breaking their silence. "What? You had to have known she was going to go back to him? What is it that Caroline used to say… oh right, epic love."

Stefan doesn't say anything but looks back toward the door his friend and enemy just left through.

*quote from Emily Dickinson

—-

Caroline didn't know what had come over her but she was sure it wasn't due to alcohol. When she arrived at the Mikaelson estate, she finished off a couple glasses of blood and insisted on sleeping in a guest room for the night. Klaus watched her but didn't push the issue. If she wanted another room he was not about to start an argument, however much he disliked the idea.

Once inside the guest room, Caroline climbed right into bed, shedding her clothes on the way and crawling under the covers. She remained restless, finding it difficult to fall asleep. Despite finishing off some blood she was still hungry. Climbing out of bed she grabbed a robe and went back down into the kitchen. She pulled out three more blood bags to take back to the room with her.

Klaus had a difficult night as well, knowing that she was in the room next to his. He kept trying to listen for her, to see if she needed anything. His curiosity was peaked when she left the room. Silently hoping she was looking for him, he frowned when shortly afterward she returned to the guest room. He spent the night pacing in his bedroom, intending to give her space and only come to her if she called for him.

The next day by late morning Klaus' concern had multiplied when Caroline still had not emerged from her room. Finally, giving into his worry, he gently knocked on the door. Not hearing any answer he entered. He was surprised to find a handful of empty blood bags scattered on the floor and approached her bed. She was still sleeping but covered in sweat and tossing restlessly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he put a hand to her forehead, "Caroline, wake up."

She stirred at his touch but didn't open her eyes. He tried again. This time, more forcefully, "Caroline, sweetheart. Wake up, you are having a bad dream."

Her eyes opened, but they were not the bright shade of blue he was accustomed to. She was startled and confused, "Where am I?" The blonde pulled away from him. "Who are you?"

His eyes momentarily flickered with worry and he questioned her disorientation. "Caroline, you are in my home."

She continued to back away and again asked, "Who are you?"

Now he was genuinely concerned. "What do you mean, you don't know me?"

Caroline glanced around at her surroundings, her face slick with sweat, panic setting in. "I don't… I don't know." She looked at him, her eyes filling with fear. "How did I get here?"

His brow creased, and he calmly rested a hand on her head. She was warm to the touch, her eyes dull. "You are going to be fine love." Saying the words aloud not only to calm her down but also to reassure himself, "Just rest some. I'll be right back."

Still panicked but, succumbing to fatigue, she nods and sinks back into bed. Klaus exits the room and pulls aside the first subordinate he sees walking the hall sending him to fetch Stefan immediately, along with orders to bring Rebekah and Circe to the estate.

He returns to Caroline's room. He brings a tumbler filled with blood, hoping that it will help her feel better. He had watched her drink more than normal just last night.

She was startled awake when he reached for her and handed her the glass. The smell of blood alone made her realize she was famished. Dark veins appeared around her eyes and she polished off the glass in seconds. "Can I have some more?"

He continued to watch her as he gave her another glass, which she also finished off quickly. He had never known Caroline to be this thirsty before, she typically did not require much to satisfy her hunger.

She looks at him and wipes away the remaining blood from her lips with her hand. "Why am I feeling like this? Why don't I know who you are?"

"I don't know yet sweetheart. I'm working on it. You are safe here." He looks at her and she appears to him like a frightened child, "You can call me…" he pauses and with a slight smile continues, "Nik."

Just then, as she listens to him, a drop of blood falls from her nose. She notices it and wipes it away. It is followed by another. She puts both hands to her face, fear appearing in her eyes. "Nik?"

He reaches over and wipes away the blood and then becomes concerned when he realizes it is not stopping. He hands her a small towel and she holds it to her face. Suddenly, she lurches to the edge of the bed and begins vomiting. All the blood she just consumed comes up and onto the floor.

Rebekah walks into the room, "What is with the direct summons Nik?" She then notices Caroline. "UGH, What is wrong with her?"

"I don't know yet. Stay with her, I will be right back."

Rebekah enters and stays on the opposite side of the bed, "You don't look so good."

Caroline rolls her eyes, "Is it that obvious?" She curls back into bed, "And who are you?"

"And you lost your mind, great," Rebekah laughs.

Caroline turns away from her, "I wish I knew what was going on."

Rebekah turns and this time seriously asks, "Wait, this is for real? You don't know who I am?"

Caroline sits up suddenly and with the quick movement feels dizzy, "Nope. Don't know you or the other guy who was just here." She closes her eyes, "And I really don't feel good." She lies back down in bed.

Rebekah watches as Caroline quickly falls back into a restless sleep before going over to throw some towels over the mess on the floor.

Stefan and Klaus walk in, "Now that is something I don't often see. Rebekah on the floor cleaning. I am never going to let you forget it." Stefan remarks as he walks into the room, before he sees Caroline in bed. "What is wrong with her?"

Klaus approaches and puts his hand to her cheek, she feels hot to his touch. "I am not certain yet."

Rebekah stands up and throws the soiled towels into the washroom, "She has no memory of you or me. What is that about?"

Klaus clenches his jaw together. "I don't know. I am waiting for Circe to arrive. I am hoping she can shed some light on this." He pulls a chair to Caroline's bedside and sits down, holding her hand while he watches her sleep restlessly.

Rebekah glances over to Stefan and they exit the room, "I'll let you know when she arrives, NIk."

Klaus doesn't respond as they leave the room, instead continuing to hold Caroline's hand and watch her. It doesn't take but a moment before he is in her head, inside her dream. They are back in Mystic Falls, walking the halls of her high school, but everyone has left, there is no one around except the two of them. _"Do you remember this place?"_

Caroline turns to face him. _"Yes, I do. But that doesn't make sense, why are you here? Why can't I remember you or that other girl?"_

He shrugs, _"Tell me, what else do you remember?"_

They walk into an empty classroom and sit at the desks. _"I remember my best friends, Elena and Bonnie. I remember, that I am on the cheerleading squad. I remember that my parents are separated."_

He nods and takes her hand in his, _"Do you remember Stefan and Damon Salvatore?"_

_"Of course, Stefan and Elena are an item. Damon is a dick."_ She rubs along the side of her neck, almost mindlessly.

He laughs loudly at her comments. _"That is definitely correct. What is the most recent thing you remember?"_

_"I remember someone who looked like Elena… Katherine her name was. She killed me."_

Klaus continues to watch her, his jaw clenching as she recounts her death, not fully realizing Katerina Petrova's part in this.

She continues quietly, _"But I didn't die."_

_"Caroline, what year do you think this is?"_

Now it was Caroline's turn to look at him like he was crazy, _"2010."_

He nods and squeezes her hand, _"I am going to go now. Why don't you look around the place."_ Then he walks out of the classroom door.

Klaus opens his eyes and takes in everything he just learned from her dream. Realizing that Rebekah has been standing behind him he tells her, "She believes the current year is 2010 and that she has just been turned. She has no memory of us as we have not met yet, but she knows the Salvatores."

Rebekah replies, "Your witch is here." She watches him look up at her and then back to Caroline, "Go, I'll stay with her. Or better yet, if she remembers Stefan send him in. We will let you know if she wakes."

Klaus' eyes soften when he looks to Caroline again, "I will not just sit idly by and watch her suffer. I will fix this."

**A/N: Please review, I'd love to have feedback. Thank you.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. So this will not follow any storyline set following that timeframe. A giant thank you to CKhybrid for all your help on grammar, editing and story flow. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as created by L.J. Smith and The CW**

* * *

Circe is in the family living room playing with some candles lighting them and extinguishing them repeatedly with her mind. Stefan is hanging in the back corner of the room watching her. He isn't sure what to make of the girl, she couldn't have been older than twenty but she acted as a small child. Her most distinguishing feature was her eyes, they were all black and held no warmth or emotion. He couldn't tell if she was blind or just under a spell.

Klaus barges into the room immediately questioning, "What do you know? What have the witches in the Quarter been doing?"

Circe smiles and lights the candles again ignoring his question.

Klaus flashes over to her, "Tell me, what is wrong with Caroline?"

Circe stares him down with her black eyes and shakes her head, "Don't know yet. Haven't asked the bones yet."

Klaus closes his eyes and tries to take a breath to calm his anger, "By all means then, roll your precious bones and ask away." He then crashes down onto the sofa but continues to watch the witch.

Circe laughs and starts again to play with the candlelight in the room, "Not that easy. I need something from the pretty one first."

Moments later, everyone was in Caroline's room watching her sleep. "All you need is some of her blood on the bones, and then we are good?" Stefan questions Circe.

Klaus sighs, "Haven't we done this all before?"

Circe shrugs and reaches out to place her hands on Caroline's face, "Uh huh."

Caroline wakes up and is visibly startled by the witch touching her. She lashes out with fangs drawn ready to attack before Klaus holds her back. "Easy love, she is here to help you."

Caroline takes a deep breath and the dark veins around her eyes recede. She then recognizes the only familiar face in the room. "Stefan? What is happening? Why are we here?"

He sits down on the bed besides her, "It's ok Caroline. We are all here to help you get your memories back. We need something from you first."

"What?"

He takes a small blade and holds it out toward her, "We need a small sample of your blood. And then Circe here", he motions toward the witch, "is going to figure everything out."

Caroline nods reluctantly.

"Hold out your hand."

She does as instructed and Stefan makes a cut across her palm with the blade. Then Circe grabs hold of Caroline's wrist and forces her to hold the knuckle bones.

Caroline is creeped out by the witch and pulls away. The bones drop to the ground.

"UGH. Why can't Bonnie do this?" Caroline asks, no one in particular.

Circe drops to the floor when she hears the bones fall. She starts to read the pieces individually, the entire time mumbling to herself.

Ignoring the witch, Stefan looks to Caroline sadly not wanting to inform her that her friend has been dead for many years now, "Bonnie was busy with something. But we can trust Circe here."

Caroline nods, "I am so hungry. Isn't there something for me to have? Please?"

Stefan looks to Klaus who responds, "Sweetheart, remember the last time you tried? You couldn't keep it down. Do you feel better now?"

She looks to him almost begging, "Please, let me try."

Rebekah returns moments later with a tumbler of blood and hands it to her. She downs the glass in a couple of gulps. "More?"

Klaus shakes his head, "Let's not over do it love."

Caroline's eyes narrow and dark veins reappear under them. "MORE!" But then again the blood begins to drip from her nose and this time she begins coughing violently and after moving her hand realizes she is coughing up blood. She continues to struggle and starts to get up and out of bed, Klaus holds her back. "Caroline. We will get you more shortly."

Caroline relaxes and settles back into bed, "I am just so hungry."

Circe's mumbling grows louder. "Curses and curses." She reaches out to Caroline's face again. "The pretty one with the strong blood. Why aren't you trying harder?"

Caroline initially tries to move out of Circe's reach, but then lunges at her with fangs drawn. She has the only beating heart in the room and Caroline feels famished. She is proud of herself for holding out this long.

Circe easily manages the threat by giving Caroline a severe migraine that makes her recoil back into the bed, tears pooling in her eyes.

"ENOUGH," Klaus roars and reaches out toward Circe. "Stop it."

Circe stops the repeated aneurysms that she was causing in Caroline's head. She shrugs, "Curses and curses. Be careful pretty one, they will do you in." Then she bends over to pick up the knuckle bones and exits the room.

Klaus watches the witch leave and wants more information. Rebekah notices and responds, "GO. I'll play nurse."

Klaus flashes over to Circe and corners her, "Enough with the riddles witch."

Circe smiles playfully, "Your pretty pet has been cursed. Not only her memory but her body. Her body is shutting down, refusing blood. She is going to die."

Upon hearing Circe's prognosis Klaus becomes still, his stare bearing down on the witch's black eyes. "No. That is not going to happen. I will not accept that!" His mind begins racing to find an answer or a cure. He pushes away any thought of Caroline's death as he refuses to believe that is an option. "You said something now and before about her blood… being strong and about trying harder. What does that mean?"

Circe grins and drops the knuckle bones, but this time instead of falling to the floor they hover in the air in front of her, she reaches out and reads them again. "She has light. Her blood can heal."

"What the hell does that mean!?"

Circe shrugs and the bones fall into her hands. "The bones don't tell me no more. That is not for me to find out."

* * *

Magdalene sets about working on the next stage of the plan. They need to contact the Originals with their demands. Her and the four other witches are still gathered at the farmhouse.

"This is simple. We know that they will go to Circe. Why don't we leak her the information," one suggested.

"Why don't we send a message with one of the Quarter vampires?"

"How about just being forward about it and set up a meeting," the most senior witch asked.

Magdalene listens to their advice, finally nodding in agreement with the last option. "We will arrange a meeting at a location of our choosing and inform them of our terms. I think I should be the one who makes first contact."

"What is to stop them from killing you on the spot?"

"Then they wouldn't find out how to save the girl."

* * *

Klaus and Stefan are drinking in the sitting room when Rebekah enters.

"Who is with Caroline?" Klaus questions and stands up to return to her side.

"Relax, she is asleep again. And a good thing too, she is getting more and more difficult to manage when awake. I tried giving her something again, but it didn't work. She refuses to stop asking however. She only seems calm when asleep."

Klaus returns to sitting, "I guess it is best you are here anyway little sister." He motions to the opposite sofa inviting her to sit. "We are trying to figure out what Circe means about Caroline's blood… about her blood being strong, full of light?"

Stefan remarks, "You mentioned that Circe said Caroline's blood can heal? Have we tried allowing her to drink her own?"

Rebekah looks to Klaus, "You are always going on about her, what do you think this light nonsense means?"

"Caroline has been able to hold onto her humanity more than any other vampire I've heard of. She has an amazing gift of self control, especially for one so young."

Stefan looks confused, "So her humanity is her light?"

Out of frustration, Klaus' glass shatters in his hand. "Who is it that cursed her? Why haven't they stepped forward?"

Just then, all three heard noises coming from Caroline's room. She must have woken and gotten out of bed. Rebekah looks to Klaus, "Go, Stefan and I will start digging around for some information."

He nods and watches them leave before flashing back toward her bedroom. Upon arriving in the hallway he finds her awake and draining one of his compelled human staff members. Klaus is at her side in seconds, "Caroline. Stop this. This isn't you." He forcefully pulls her away from the human. He is grateful he arrived soon enough to stop her before she did something he knows she would regret later.

Caroline lunges away from Klaus and toward the human again. Klaus easily picks her up and carries her back to her bedroom and deposits her into the bed. "ENOUGH CAROLINE."

Her eyes are still dark and full of blood-lust. "Stop telling me what to do!"

Climbing on to the bed himself he pins her down. "So help me, I will tie you up if I need to."

Caroline suddenly begins coughing up blood, her eyes returning to blue. "Why am I like this?"

He relaxes his hold on her, and brushes her matted hair out of her eyes, "You are sick sweetheart. You are not yourself." He rests now on the bed leaning against the headboard. "Just relax, love."

She settles back into bed, leaning against him. She doesn't understand why, but he seems to calm her down the way the blonde girl cannot.

Klaus continues to watch her and it doesn't take long before her breathing slows and she has fallen back to sleep. Enjoying the closeness of being able to hold her in his arms he closes his eyes.

_They are still in Mystic Falls, except this time they are in Caroline's childhood bedroom._

_"__You are back," Caroline says, looking at him from the vanity mirror where she was brushing her hair._

_Klaus leans into the door frame and enters the room, "Is it ok, that I am here?"_

_She puts down the brush and turns to face him, "Yes, I don't mind you here Nik. I feel safer here, more in control and calmer."_

_He smiles toward her, "That is good." He sits down on the edge of her bed._

_"__Tell me about the memories I have forgotten. How did we meet, are we friends?"_

_He smiles, "Yes, we are friends. We met a long time ago, but you came to find me recently."_

_She sits down on the bed next to him, "Are we more than friends?"_

_His smiles broadens, "I'd like to think so."_

_"__That is why you are helping me," Caroline's eyes open wider with understanding. "Do we love each other?"_

_Klaus pauses at the direct question, "I cannot answer that on your part. But as for me... You make me see the world differently, it's brighter near you."_

_She lies down in bed resting her head on him. "You didn't really answer my question." She reaches out to hold his hand, squeezing it gently. "Can we just stay here? This isn't so bad, it doesn't hurt here."_

_He places a kiss on the top of her head and intertwines his fingers with hers, "Are you in pain?"_

_"__When awake, I am."_

_"__We can stay just like this if you'd like."_

* * *

Rebekah's informants recommended she check out a small tea shop known to be run by some of the Quarter's witches.

She opens the door to the store; but is unable to enter without invitation. Two women are behind the counter, in an otherwise empty shop. The older woman speaks softly to the young girl who takes off behind the counter and upstairs.

"We are closed," the older woman calls out.

Stefan points to the sign, "That isn't what it reads."

"Your type are not welcome here."

He holds up his hands in a nonthreatening manner, "Look, we only came here to find out some information."

The woman looks to the pair of them. "We will talk outside, I will not invite you inside my home. I hope you can understand that."

Stefan nods and takes a step backward allowing the older woman to exit. He introduces himself and Rebekah.

"I know who you both are. A ripper and an Original. Just who I want coming to find me." She takes her cane and slowly makes her way down the street with the two of them following. "I am called Bette. What is it that you want from me?"

Stefan continues, "My friend has been cursed. I am looking for a solution."

Bette motions toward Rebekah, "You have an Original with you. Which means you have Circe as your pet, why don't you ask her?"

Rebekah laughs, "Circe is crazy and only speaks in riddles, we need someone to translate."

Bette grins, "Yes she has always been a bit sensitive. But I wouldn't be able to tell you anything about it that she couldn't."

They continue to walk slowly down the road.

Stefan asks, "Do you have any idea how to break a curse?"

"A curse is placed on someone, or thing, by a witch. Usually the only way to break it is to find the original witch who cast it."

"Would you have any idea what witches in the area would be doing this?"

Bette stops walking and looks to him. "If I did, why would I betray my own to a pair of vampires? Vampires are always needing witches to bail them out. Witches shouldn't get involved with your type, you only cause problems."

Rebekah is steadily losing patience. "Look witch, just tell us what you know. I'd hate to have to convince you otherwise. That pretty little thing in the shop seems so young and innocent."

Bette glares at Rebekah and forces her to the floor, making the vampire feel an immense pain throughout her body as if all her bones are breaking at the same time, but only allows it to last a moment. "That is for threatening my family. Do not think I will not defend them in a second."

Stefan glares over to Rebekah then softly back to Bette, "Please, my friend is dying and to me she is family."

Bette turns toward him and her eyes soften, "All the other Quarter witches think the same as me, we would not involve ourselves in vampire business. It isn't worth the risk." She pauses and turns to walk away, then reconsiders, "However, there has been new blood in the Quarter for about six months now. An old family, they were pushed out of this city in the 1700s and haven't been able to return." She continues to walk back to her shop, "That is all I can tell you."

Rebekah and Stefan watch her walk back into her shop. He turns to look at her and notices recollection in her eyes.

"I think I know who is behind this," and she flashes off back to the compound. Stefan follows.

* * *

Magdalene approaches the compound and knocks on the door. She is escorted into a sitting room, where she waits. It doesn't take long before Klaus arrives.

"Magdalene. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? I was unaware we had a meeting, or is this an impromptu visit?" Klaus questions as he enters the room and motions her to sit down.

"No thanks. I don't expect you'll invite me to stay after I have said what I came to say," she remains standing.

"And what is that?"

"I wish to arrange a meeting between my witches and your family."

"And what is this meeting regarding?"

"I imagine Caroline hasn't been doing so well recently," she pauses to watch for his reaction. "I may have a solution to that."

His jaw clenches and his eyes flash yellow for a moment, "What do you know about Caroline?"

"I know enough. Meet me tonight. I will leave an address and you can hear my demands."

"Demands," he laughs, "I do not respond lightly to threats against those in my protection," he rushes to her and grips her throat. "Why don't I just kill you now and be done with it?"

She gasps, "Car.. oline." He releases her and she takes a few moments to recover, "Killing me will only kill her as well." She heads to the door. "Until tonight." She exits just as Rebekah and Stefan enter.

"What was that?," Rebekah questions Klaus as Magdalene leaves.

"A complication," he growls. "What did you find out?"

Rebekah continues, "This has something to do with the Dugas family. Remember them?"

Klaus walks over to the bar and pours himself a drink not answering.

Stefan interrupts, "Will someone please fill me in!"

Rebekah continues, "When our family first arrived in the city in the 1700s, there were factions of witches already established. They were at war against each other over God knows what. Nik made a deal with one family which lead to the expulsion of the Dugas' family and effectively cut them off from their ancestral grounds."

Taking a sip from his drink, Klaus adds, "Don't leave out the best part, little sister."

"Oh right, I forgot. Part of the agreement included Nik killing off their elders leaving only a small handful of their descendents." Rebekah walks over and looks at Klaus in the eye, "And then he continued to torment the family on a regular basis. Still part of the deal, or was that just fun?"

Stefan sits down on the sofa. "And now what do they want?"

Klaus finishes his glass and glares at Rebekah, "We have a meeting, sister, with the Dugas family tonight. Perhaps they will enlighten us."

* * *

A couple hours before he has to leave to meet the witches, Klaus checks in on Caroline. He excuses Stefan from her room and takes the chair at her bedside.

She is sleeping. Circe has made her some tea that keeps her relaxed and in a dream state most of the time. He places Caroline's hand in his. "I will find a cure, I promise you." He takes a deep breath, trying to settle his own voice. "Just hang in there for me while I do it." He stands to exit the room, "Remember your strength."

Caroline stirs and barely opens her eyes but they register on his, "Nik?"

He takes a lock of her hair and brushes it away from her face, "Sshhh love. I didn't mean to wake you. I am going out but will return shortly. Save your strength."

She nods and closes her eyes again but quietly adds, "Don't be long."

He watches her drift back to sleep. Standing there he recognizes another emotion that he thought he had lost many years ago; worry. With one last look at her he leaves the room and finds Rebekah for the meeting with the witches.

* * *

Magdalene and the four other witches are waiting for them when they arrive just outside the city limits. "We are sorry that you had to travel to us. But you see, my family is unable to enter the city."

Klaus walks around, pausing at each witch for a moment to stare into their eyes. "I imagine you lot are all that remains of the Dugas Family? Looks like I've been a bit sloppy about keeping old promises recently."

Magdalene steps forward, "If you hurt my cousins or I, Caroline's death will be on your hands. We asked you here for peace talks."

"Peace? You are the one who started this war," he flashes to Magdalene, "but I will humor you. What exactly are your demands?"

"When our family was forced out, we had to leave our ancestral ties behind. Your family promised the remaining witches in the Quarter that The Originals would keep the Dugas family from returning to New Orleans, and in return, the French Quarter witches would work for you."

"That sounds about right. And yet you are still here. A fact I would like to remedy."

"My family has been in hiding for the last three hundred and sixty years," she pauses. "We would like to return home."

"Well as my older brother says, I gave them my word. So, unfortunately, I cannot allow you back in."

"Then you are sentencing Caroline to death."

He flashes behind one of the four witches, hands at her neck ready to kill. "So we are at an impasse then?"

"We are prepared to die for this! Are you willing to kill the one person you care about?"

Angry, he growls and twists the witch's neck, letting her body fall to the ground. "THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER."

Just then, the four remaining witches raise their hands and, Rebekah and Klaus drop to their knees as intense pain overtakes them. They can hear Magdalene's voice before they pass out. "The fact remains that we each have something the other wants. You need to reassess you allegiances now."

When Klaus and Rebekah regain consciousness, they are alone in the empty lot.

**A/N: Please review. I'd love to read your comments and critiques. Thank you.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. So this will not follow any storyline set following that timeframe. A giant thank you to CKhybrid for all your help on grammar, editing and story flow.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as created by L.J. Smith and The CW**

* * *

Stefan was checking in on Caroline while the Originals were at the witch's meeting. She has been sleeping calmly for the past few hours, but then awakens suddenly and sits upward in bed.

"Caroline? Are you ok?" he asks concerned.

She doesn't answer him. Instead, she flashes toward the window, jumps out from the second story and quickly makes her way out of the compound.

Stefan chases after her. "Caroline, wait!"

When he reaches her, he can tell she has been taken over by the blood-lust. In her arms she is feeding from a young boy, having her fill she stands and lets the child's body fall to the floor. Caroline has drained him to death. Stefan overtakes Caroline and stops her the only way he can think of; he breaks her neck.

He is returning her back to bed as Klaus returns, "What happened?"

Stefan looks down on Caroline, "She was out of control. She woke up and escaped. By the time I caught up to her... she killed the first human she found, a child."

Klaus slams Stefan against the wall, "You were supposed to watch her! How could you allow this!?"

Rebekah enters the room upon hearing all the commotion and watches Stefan stand up about to make a comment in return. But they hear her first, and all three turn toward Caroline who is waking up from her recent incident. Klaus flashes to her side.

Caroline again tries to burst out of bed, but this time Klaus is able to easily pin her down and hold her in place. "Rebekah give me some of Circe's tea." Caroline begins coughing up the blood she recently consumed and seems to be turning paler in color before his eyes.

Rebekah pours some cold tea into a glass and hands it to him. Caroline attempts to struggle but doesn't really have any strength to do so. "Calm down, my love." He holds the glass to her lips and forces her to drink. "You will feel better in a moment."

After about five minutes Caroline relaxes and returns to a peaceful slumber. Rebekah hurries Stefan from the room. She leads him down the hall but not before instructing some vampires to manage the body of the child. Rebekah pours two tumblers of scotch and hands one to Stefan, "If this was anyone else he would have killed them by now. She has changed him." She finishes her glass and leaves Stefan alone.

* * *

Alone with her again, he closes his eyes.

_They are walking the empty streets of Mystic Falls. _

_"__Hello sweetheart."_

_Caroline turns towards him, he can see tears pooling in her eyes, "What have I done?"_

_They stop walking, he opens his arms and she falls into them. He can feel her sobbing against his chest. "You cannot blame yourself for this. You are not well." She continues shaking and he holds her against him until she begins to calm down and catch her breath._

_"__I killed a little boy. I couldn't stop myself. I wanted it too much." _

_"__You didn't realize what you were doing."_

_She looks up at him, her face stained with tears, "I did though. I knew exactly what I was doing. I wanted it, I desired it." She crumbles to the floor and holds her stomach. "I can never undo this."_

_He sits on the ground next to her. "We have all done things we are not proud of. You will get past this."_

_She starts trembling again. "How can I? How can anyone ever get over this? This is turning me into something I am not!" She looks at him with wild eyes. "You have to stop this, stop me." She grabs his hand and puts it against her chest. "You have to kill me."_

_He pulls his arm away. "Caroline, I am not going to do that."_

_She looks to him begging as the tears continue to fall, "Please Nik! It hurts too much."_

_He takes her again and holds her tightly against himself, kissing the top of her head. "Remember who you are, you will overcome this."_

When he opens his eyes he realizes that he is resting in bed with her and she is sleeping against his chest. Not wanting to disturb her, he remains there for the rest of the night enjoying the closeness of her body against his.

* * *

Magdalene returns to the farmhouse with the remaining three witches and the body of their cousin. They immediately begin with burial preparations. She watches her cousins mourn over the dead, but she reminds herself that they all knew the risks. She was certain that Klaus would find a way for them to return to the city, she realized that Caroline meant something to him.

Her elder cousin approaches. "When will we hear from the Originals?"

"I plan to return to them in the morning," Magdalene responds. "Caroline only has about twenty four hours left if my calculations are correct. He must make a decision before then."

* * *

The next morning he enters the kitchen and finds Stefan and Rebekah sitting at the counter. He pours himself a cup of tea and turns to face them both.

"I am going to meet with the French Quarter witches."

"Are you kidding me? You are going to ask them to allow the Dugas family back in?" Rebekah questions.

"Caroline is close to turning off her humanity switch, or worse. I will not give up on her now" he glares at her.

Rebekah stands, "That is it? Decision made?" Folding her arms across her chest, "I can't believe you are choosing her! This is not going to end well for us. They are going to force us to leave the city Nik, don't you see that!?" She leaves the room not waiting for his response.

An hour or so later Stefan and Klaus were knocking on Bette's tea shop door again.

"You again, and now you bring the hybrid Original, how did I get so lucky?" She exits with her cane in hand and they slowly begin to walk down the street. "I told you before that we do not want to get involved."

"The Dugas family wishes to be allowed to return to New Orleans, and I would like to accommodate them," Klaus states.

"That is a name we have only seen in St Louis cemetery, not in person. However, if my knowledge of history is correct, you personally made an agreement with my family to keep them out. Have we not held to our side of the bargain?"

Klaus clenches his teeth and Stefan steps in. "We do not question your faithfulness. But why are you so opposed to keeping them out?"

"It is an old feud. Let's just say the Dugas family has a different belief system when it comes to how they choose to use their magic."

"Hasn't enough time passed that you can look beyond that?" Stefan questions.

"Perhaps. But I alone cannot make this decision. I will need to call a council gathering."

"You have two hours," grumbles Klaus.

* * *

Rebekah is still frustrated by her conversation earlier with Klaus. She enters Caroline's room and takes the chair next to her bed. Speaking aloud, even though Caroline is asleep and, no one else is in the room.

"Why is he willing to give up everything over a cheerleader?" She pauses before continuing, "Look, I know we were just becoming friendly or….. something… but what kind of control do you have over him?" She looks down at Caroline's sleeping body, "He should have thought that you are a weakness." Then, as if realization comes over her, she stands up and looks closely at Caroline, "He truly cares for someone... besides himself."

* * *

Magdalene is waiting for Klaus in the courtyard of his compound when he arrives. "Do you have a decision for me yet?"

The tension in his jaw is easily observed, "I don't respond to ultimatums witch."

Magdalene nods, "But your time is almost up if you wish to save Caroline. I will need you to give me your decision by sunset tonight, otherwise she will be beyond saving."

"If Caroline dies, you will lose your leverage," Stefan notes, "and then there is nothing stopping Klaus from killing you and your remaining family. Perhaps you should find a way to give us more time."

Magdalene shakes her head, "I'm sorry but that is not how this works." She looks to the sun that is reached halfway in the sky, "I will see you at sunset."

* * *

Upon entering his home, Klaus goes to check on Caroline. He finds her asleep, just as he left her. She is looking worse then earlier this morning. She is in the early signs of desiccation. He closes his eyes and easily enters her mind.

_She is sitting on the bed in her childhood home._

_"__How are you feeling love?"_

_She shrugs and looks toward him. "I'm dying, aren't I?" She pauses and recognizes the look of sadness in his eyes, "Maybe it is for the best. I cannot return. I cannot be trusted."_

_He reaches out to hold her hand. "Please love. Use your strength, you can overcome this."_

_"__What am I fighting for? I am a monster that kills children."_

_He looks to her and without any hesitation his lips find hers and his arms wrap around her protectively. After a few moments, she pulls away from the kiss, "What was that for?"_

_"__I need you to come through this. Fight for me if you cannot see to it to fight for yourself."_

_Caroline smiles and leans over to return his kiss, her fingers intertwine with his and she rests against him. While resting there she quietly whispers to herself, 'Nik, you love me, don't you?"_

_He doesn't answer but she feels him holding her tighter._

* * *

About two hours before sunset Klaus and Stefan arrive at the meeting location. Bette and Circe are already sitting at a table. Circe has occupied herself by placing four small straw dolls in a line standing up. Stefan watches her from behind as she takes a fifth doll from her pocket. This doll looks different from the others and Circe places it away from the other four.

"And what did the French Quarter witches decide?" Klaus asks as he enters and stands next to a chair at the head of the table.

Bette glances up from her tea glass, "We have come up with another option. We will welcome the Dugas family back into the city, if the vampires leave New Orleans for good."

Klaus' jaw tenses and he smirks at her comment. He was never fond of discussion much preferring his answers to come from actions. "The time for deals has long since past. I asked out of an obligation I made with your long dead relatives. I realize now that was a mistake."

"The witches will not agree otherwise. You will start a war," Bette remarks darkly.

"I am no longer looking for your approval," Klaus' voice was low and menacing.

"Then we have nothing more to say to one another," Bette moves to leave but stops when she hears Circe mumbling.

"The pretty one has the strength, it's in her blood. Always there." She takes the fifth straw doll and has it dancing around the other four. Then magically the doll begins to darken as if it was dropped in water, except it is blood that stains Circe's hands.

Bette eyes glare toward Circe.

Klaus observes the reaction from Bette and walks toward Circe, "Tell me what Caroline needs to do."

"The pretty one has lost her way, she needs to find it."

Stefan moves to join them and asks Circe, "Can you give us anything else?"

Startled by his voice, Circe's black eyes stare vacantly into Stefan's. She takes her hand and places it on his face and in his hair, as if she is recognizing him. "You taught her once- how to control the hunger. Not a very good student is she? She forgets so easily." Circe begins humming to herself, "But if she can get it back…" the doll that was bloody is now clean and dry.

Klaus looks to Bette, "Can you unriddle this?"

"Will you leave the city?" Bette answers back quickly.

Klaus' eyes narrow as he stares her down refusing to answer. It is Stefan who breaks the silence. "You said it before, Caroline has always had more control than any other vampire. Restraining her hunger in the past has made her stronger." He pulls Klaus away from Bette. "I know how to save her."

Klaus tension relaxes slightly and without another moment lost he and Stefan flash out of there to return to the estate.

Rebekah is waiting for them at the door, "Well. What did they say?"

"You need to buy me time," Klaus answers and rushes inside and upstairs.

**A/N: Please review. I'd love to read your comments and critiques. Thank you.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: A reminder that this was written after the events of season four of The Vampire Diaries and before any showings of The Originals. This story will not follow any storyline set following that time frame. A giant/huge tremendous THANK YOU to Ckhybrid for all your help on editing, grammar and story line. This chapter ends my story. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have had writing. Thank you to all your kind words and comments.**

* * *

Stefan and Rebekah begin packing up some of the more meaningful items of the Mikaelson family. "Why are we doing this if Nik has no intention of leaving?" Rebekah asks.

"Circe says Caroline is capable of saving herself if she can regain her control."

"We've already seen how that turns out," Rebekah comments softly. "I'd rather not have to bury anymore children. As much as she was growing on me… Caroline is now a liability."

"NO," Stefan glares at her. "Caroline can do it," Stefan says, "Just give her a chance."

"She has both of you on her side," Rebekah says with realization. Then continues to wrap up some of the nicer silver, "Why are we packing the house, exactly?"

"We are putting on a show of faith that we are leaving."

Rebekah rolls her eyes, "This is ridiculous, there has to be something more productive we can be doing." They both carry a box outside.

"We are buying time."

* * *

Klaus enters Caroline's room and sits along her bedside. She has grown greyer and there is no visible sign of movement, even her blonde curls have turned dull and lifeless. He closes his eyes and enters her dream.

"_Hello sweetheart."_

_She is laying down in the woods near the old Lockwood Estate, staring up into the trees. "Nik. Have you come to say goodbye?"_

_He lays down next to her on the forest floor taking her hand in his,, "No love, I need you to do something for me._ _I need you to find your strength, wake up and leave._"

"_What?" she shakes her head and becomes agitated. "No! Remember last time?" _

"_You can do this. You can fight the hunger," he smiles at her and tries to calm her down._

"_But what if…"_

_His leans toward her, his hand reaching out to her cheek, "I can't bare it if you leave me." Caroline's eyes begin to pool with tears. He wipes them away with his fingers, his own eyes getting misty. "Please Caroline. I believe in you."_

_She takes his hand from her face and brings it to her lips, then nods her head in agreement._

Klaus opens his eyes, bites into his own wrist and allows only a couple drops of blood to fall onto her lips.

After a moment, he watches as her tongue takes his offering. He allows a couple more drops to fall before she instinctively clamps down on his wrist and begins to drink fully from him. He has to forcefully stop her to only allow a small amount, "That is plenty sweetheart. Just enough to wake up."

Even with the limited amount of blood the color has returned to her face. Caroline sits up and looks to him, without any recognition of who he is and blood-lust remaining in her eyes, she flashes out the balcony window and the estate. Klaus remains sitting at her bedside.

Rebekah and Stefan walk into the room and look around, "Did you do it?"

Klaus nods, "I need you both to watch her. Don't interfere." Stefan nods and they are about to follow out of the window after Caroline. "Keep her safe." Klaus adds.

* * *

Caroline was out of the estate and running with vampire speed down the streets of New Orleans. Her only focus was her insatiable hunger as she ran past people along the way. At an intersection she pauses momentarily, distracted by a drunk wandering down the street and into an alley. She follows him unnoticed and continues to watch the man take a swig from a bottle before stumbling over something and falling down. In a flash Caroline is standing in front of him eyes dark.

"Whoa lady… what's wrong with… your face?" stutters the man.

Caroline easily overcomes him and leaves him barely alive in the alley. Her hunger not satisfied she flashes back into the city streets and continues running.

Her run is interrupted again as she approaches a neighborhood park. Although it is almost sunset, a handful of children continue to play innocently outside. Caroline stands at the edge of the playground watching the crowd. Her attention focuses on a little girl who runs over to her mother anxious to show her a treasure she found in the sandbox. The mother absentmindedly nods at the trinket before encouraging her daughter to run back toward the swings. Once the child is on her way, the mother rejoins the conversation she was having with her friends. The little girl instead runs around the swings and to the edge of the playground, closer to Caroline, as she fetches a stray ball.

At that moment Caroline begins coughing. The noise makes the child aware of her presence and she stares at Caroline curiously, but remains silent. Caroline's eyes darken and she begins to walk towards the little girl, picking up the ball. As she approaches the child she observes fear overtake her, and the girl begins to cry softly.

The recognition of terror in the girl's eyes makes Caroline pause. "What is your name?" she asks the girl.

"Lizzie," she responds as she puts on her best brave face trying to hold back the tears.

"As in Elizabeth?" Caroline questions.

The child nods her head in agreement, but remains fearful of Caroline's appearance.

The recognition of the name makes her stop. Caroline takes a moment to inspect Lizzie. The girl has blonde hair that has been intricately braided and is wearing a dress, even though she has been playing in the dirt all afternoon. Caroline smiles as she recognizes the girl doesn't appear any different than herself at that age. She then tosses the ball gently to Lizzie, "I know someone named Elizabeth. She is very brave too, like you. You should run back to your mom, she may get worried if you are gone too long."

Lizzie doesn't waste any time and turns as fast as she can to return to her mother and the other adults.

Caroline watches Lizzie return to her mother's safety and then bolts out of there, running as fast and far away as she can. She continues until exhaustion, stopping to rest in a small clearing just outside the city limits. Taking a second to catch her breath she thinks to herself, "_I can do this, I can regain control."_

At that moment she notices a rustling sound and realizes she is no longer alone, her senses on high, her posture ready for an attack.

"Caroline?" Rebekah asks cautiously.

Caroline turns to face the blonde original, her eyes still dark and her energy still heightened.

"Caroline, you need to calm down. Register your surroundings, remember who you are," Rebekah says encouragingly. Caroline takes a couple deep breaths and the veins under eyes begin to recede. "Good girl."

Rebekah slowly approaches her friend, "Now I need you to remember why you are out here. Remember your goal."

"Right.." Caroline looks up at Rebekah, "I didn't kill the girl, in the playground, I ran away."

Rebekah smiles, "Well, that is a good start. Now lets keep going."

It is just then that Caroline notices a handful of heartbeats coming from close nearby. The sound is strong and her blood-lust returns quickly; she flashes toward it. Rebekah follows closely behind.

* * *

Klaus arrives alone at the arranged location outside of town to meet Magdalene and her remaining family members.

"You are alone?" Magdalene questions.

"Ladies, you have me all to yourselves tonight." he smirks as he walks into the center of the clearing.

"Do you agree to our terms? Are we allowed back into New Orleans?"

"About that… I don't think so. I warned you, I don't respond to threats."

Magdalene is startled for a moment and caught off guard by his response, "I see. Then I am sorry about Caroline. I had thought she was important to you, I guess I was wrong."

Klaus' eyes flash yellow, "My feelings for Caroline should not be your primary concern right now."

At that same moment, Caroline who has followed the sound of heartbeats, rushes into the same clearing. Surprised by the surroundings, she stops and finds herself standing in front of the witches. She watches them closely and observes them regard her nervously. In the middle of the group she identifies Magdalene who was having a conversation with Klaus; she flashes over to her interrupting them.

"You are the one who did this to me. You cursed me!" Caroline looks into Magdalene's eyes and leans closer to her, "I don't even know you- why?" Caroline's eyes darken again as she moves even closer toward Magdalene's carotid artery.

Fear enters Magdalene's eyes as she realizes what is about to happen to her. "You were a means to an end. But I have always been ready to die for my cause."

The other three witches although terrified by the presence of two originals and Caroline; begin to chant. By then Rebekah and Stefan have caught up to them and they quickly twist two of their necks. "That is payback for trying to force me out," comments Rebekah. The third witch runs toward the woods and Rebekah is quickly on her trail to finish the job.

Meanwhile, Caroline launches herself on Magdalene, allowing blood-lust and anger to take over. She begins feeding from her, relishing in the taste. Even with the blood overwhelming her, Caroline is aware of Klaus' presence nearby; and she begins to remember things clearer. She remembers the guilt and self-loathing from killing the little boy and finishing off the drunk in the alley. She remembers the loss of control and the pain of hunger, but realizing the pain of guilt was far worse. She recognizes at that moment- her compassion towards the living was slipping away. With that understanding, Caroline stops and pulls away from Magdalene. She pushes the witch away from her to the ground allowing her to remain very much alive.

"NO ONE CONTROLS ME," Caroline yells. "I will not give into this." Saying the words aloud to help convince herself, fighting with every bit of humanity she retains. She wipes away the remaining blood from her lips with the back of her hand. "If I am going to die, it is going to be on my own terms."

Magdalene reaches for her neck trying to stop the flow of blood.

Klaus observes the entire encounter. Wanting to intervene and take control of the situation, but knowing that Caroline's only chance is to do it herself. He feels as if a weight has lifted; believing he can see the light shine from her as she breaks away from Magdalene.

Caroline falls to the ground, coughing up the remaining blood in her system. She looks around and her eyes lock onto Klaus'. He flashes over to her at that instant, picks her up from the floor and carries her away from Magdalene. "You did it love."

Stefan quickly moves to watch Magdalene closely; in case he needs to prevent any further witch attacks.

Caroline smiles and nestles her head against Klaus' chest. She continues coughing, but this time something is different, she doesn't feel as weak and the symptoms are subsiding quicker than before. She looks over at Magdalene slumped on the ground. "You have to heal her."

Klaus growls, "I won't do that sweetheart."

She pushes weakly into this chest, "Put me down then."

He reluctantly lowers her legs to the ground and she walks to Magdalene. Biting her own wrist and forcing the witch to drink from her. "I will not be responsible for any more death today. But I swear to God, if you ever come near me again..." Caroline stands and turns her back to the witch and looks to Klaus. "I want to go home now."

Klaus smiles and takes her hand tightly in his and they flash out of there toward the city.

* * *

Klaus ends up carrying her back halfway and returns her to their room in the mansion. He places her down gently on the bed.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Stay with me, I feel like I've been alone the past few days." She looks toward him and her eyes are full of desire, "Except for the times you were in my dreams."

He crawls into bed, lying on his side keeping his eyes on hers. Taking some of her blonde hair and curling it around his fingers. "How do you feel, sweetheart? Have all your memories returned?"

She leans toward him, placing a kiss along his cheek and continuing to trail more of them along the angle of his chin while her hands freely move along his chest. "I don't feel much like talking."

He growls and flips her onto her back as he climbs over her, pinning her in position by taking her hands overhead, securing them in his grip. "I missed you, love." He leans down and places his lips along her collarbone, and continues to move them centrally toward her sternum. Then taking his free hand to unbutton her blouse, before ripping the offending fabric out of his way.

Caroline begins laughing.

"What do you find so hilarious?" He asks between soft bites along the curve of her chest.

She breathes inward when she feels his lips move and his hand slide down her body beginning to unbutton her pants. "I'm happy to be back; I missed you," she sighs quietly in anticipation of what is about to happen.

"You have no idea," he responds and begins to pull her pants down.

* * *

Caroline wakes the next morning, not remembering the last time she felt so rested and refreshed. The sun is streaming through the windows, lighting the room with a nice warm glow. Looking around the room she frowns as she realizes the bed is empty beside her. Curious as to where Klaus has gone off to, she grabs her robe, pulls her hair back into something presentable and makes her way downstairs.

She arrives at the kitchen door and pauses just outside of it in order to watch the proceedings inside without being noticed. In the kitchen she observes Stefan cooking and attempting to instruct Rebekah on the right time to flip pancakes.

"Dammit!" Rebekah curses as the pancake flipping does not go according to her plan. "Why are we doing this again?" she asks Stefan.

Caroline is so amused watching them that she doesn't notice until an arm is wrapped around her waist that Klaus is standing directly behind her. He leans towards her and whispers into her ear, "Do you think it will be safe to eat?"

Caroline grins and holds his arm tight to her. It is just then that Stefan notices the additional guests. "Caroline! I hope you are hungry." A giant grin on his face.

Rebekah manages to drop a pancake on the floor before tossing the spatula on the counter, "Oh bloody hell. Enough!" She turns around and grabs a bottle of champagne and pours out four glasses. Passing a glass to everyone before holding up hers, "I am happy to welcome the old Caroline back." They all clink glasses and drink. "Now lets go out and find something proper to eat." Rebekah moves to sit down at the table, grabbing some fruit to snack on along the way. Caroline joins her at the table while Klaus remains closely by her side.

Stefan jumps back into action and takes over the pancake job. "No way. Pancakes are a Salvatore specialty." Moments later he joins them at the table with a platter of food.

"Thanks guys… for everything," Caroline adds softly looking at the three of them.

They dig into the food enjoying the lazy morning. Eventually Rebekah gives some excuse to leave for the afternoon. Which is shortly followed by Stefan, making some comment that he is planning on heading out of the city in a couple days and has things to take care of first.

Finally alone again, Klaus slides a small box toward Caroline. "You never did open your present."

She takes the box in her hand smiling, and begins unwrapping it. Inside is a thin gold chain with three charm pendants; a wolf, an acorn, and a ring. "It's lovely."

"An acorn is the the symbol of life and immortality, a wolf…" he grins, "for obvious reasons, and a ring as a promise of love and affection."

Caroline looks over to him biting her lower lip trying not to let herself turn into a hot mess of emotion. She takes his hand and squeezes it appreciatively before turning around to let him put the necklace on her. With the charms in place she turns back and leans into him. "Thank you."

Klaus holds her tightly in his arms, "One other thing sweetheart. I think it is time we go on an adventure." He leans over and places a kiss on the top her head. "I promised you that I would show you the world."

Caroline turns to face him, "You did. But that was a while ago. You want to leave New Orleans?"

"Not permanently, but I thought you would appreciate a change of scenery. Since you have arrived in the city you have experienced pain and sickness." He looks into her eyes worried and full of concern. "And besides, I would like to personally escort you to my favorite places." He leans in towards her neck and places a series of soft kiss besides her ear, "I want to stand with you at the Winter Palace along the banks of the Neva, dance a masked ball with you during Carnival, and show you places even older than me."

Caroline's face gives her away as she grins and turns to face him leaning into him and capturing his lips with hers, "Sounds perfect."


End file.
